Just 12km east of the ruins of the great city of Anuradhapura, the sacred mountain of Mihintale is where Buddhism was first introduced to the island of Sri lanka in the 2nd Century B.C. Set close to this historic site is the Hotel Mihintale - an aesthetic of conformity coupled with modern elegance and ancient splendor, which is most apparent in each of its 10 rooms.

If you are to visit the ancient sites of Anuradhapura it is appropriate to stay somewhere that has a sense of history and old world charm. For such an experience the only place to go is the Tissawewa Grand, located right in the heart of the Sacred Precinct. While its history cannot match that of the Anuradhapura period, the Tissawewa Grand must certainly have its share of stories from the times of the colonial British.
 
The Tissawewa Grand is set in large grounds, with majestic trees such as mahogany, teak and satin that create a secluded atmosphere and provide a cool breeze, especially as the late afternoon turns to evening. At that time it is quite effortless to while away a couple of hours watching the monkeys play and chase each other around the garden.
 
In the tradition of Sri Lanka’s rest houses, the predominant feature of the Tissawewa was white-washed walls and white-painted furniture. However, beneath all this white lies some magnificent woodwork, which in the renovation has been brought to life. The doors and window of the rooms have been retained and carefully scraped to reveal the stunning original teak. The wooden finishes are stylish, yet not too posh, so as to ensure an authentic feel.
 
Rooms
The rooms have high wooden ceilings and polished concrete floors. Additional wooden shutters for the door and windows make the rooms extra cool, though the air-conditioner is a welcome new feature when Anuradhapura’s heat becomes too oppressive. The wooden theme continues with the furniture: a large dressing table and mirror, an almirah (a wardrobe of Portuguese origin) in the separate dressing room, and twin four-poster beds for even the tallest of guests. With fresh white mosquito nets and crisp sheets, there’s no better way to induce sleep after a long day of sightseeing. The bathrooms are completely new, with hot water and a bath if you feel the need for a long soak.
 
Dining
Do not expect to find lavish buffets as the focus of the food options at the Tisssawewa Grand is on simple homemade fare. You are encouraged to try as many Sri Lankan dishes as you like, which will be toned down to accommodate foreign taste buds. However, the cooks should check your level of chilli/curry tolerance rather than just making assumptions based on your appearance.
 
(Content Source : Travel Sri Lanka Magazine)
(Image Source   : lankareviewed.blogspot.com)

Amidst the stillness of Anuradhapura, is the Nuwarawewa Rest house, perched on the edge of the largest irrigation reservoir Nuwarawewa built in the first century BC. The rest house is ideal for tourists to discover Anuradhapura's historical treasures, while enjoying modern facilities of a star class rest house. Nuwarawewa Rest house began operations in April 1966.
 
Rest House offers 70 air-conditioned guest rooms including family rooms with garden loungers set out invitingly on the open verandas. A special feature is that tourists get a panoramic view of the Nuwarawewa lake from the balcony. Guests rooms are equipped with all modern facilities that a star class hotel offers. The rest house also has a lounge, dining room, a restaurant known for its delicious Sri Lankan and Western buffets.
 

The hotel is situated by Nuwara Wewa, a vast man-made lake and amidst stupendous monuments surrounded by sub tropical forest, ideal for adventure and wild life tours. Well furnished rooms, well stocked bars and restaurants with tasty dishes served by smiling stewards and stewardesses combine to create the right ambience to make it an out of the world experience.

 
(Image Source : galway.lk)

The hotel is situated on a 50 acre plot of land that was originally used for chena cultivation. The land was devoid of trees and completely abandoned at the time of purchase on the early 1990s. Since then, a new forest has been created through hard work and patience. For the landscaping of the hotel, more then 500 big trees (about 20 feet high) were brought from the Jungle, with the permission of the Forest Department and replanted in the garden of the hotel.
 
Over 2000 other young plants have been planted to create a king of "botanical garden". The difficulty of irrigation during the dry season has been solved by the digging of wells in a different part of the land. Now trees of many species and varieties are found on the premises creating an atmosphere of cool tranquility. Varieties of mango have been introduced to start a mango orchard while other varieties of fruit - bearing trees have been scattered throughout the hotel premises to attract birds and wildlife.